Harrington makes up ground

Masters update: Padraig Harrington not only re-ignited his Masters hopes today, but gave himself the chance to create history. Nobody has won at Augusta National after an opening 77 or an eight-stroke deficit after the first round, but a seven-birdie 68 - matched as the low score of the week so far by Ryder Cup teammate Paul Casey only 10 minutes later - brought the Dubliner back into contention for a first major title.

Harrington was on the same one over par halfway mark of 145 as another of Ian Woosnam's heroes last September, David Howell. But that was a disappointment for the Swindon golfer as he could follow up his initial 70 with only a 75.

Nevertheless, they were both in a tie for ninth place and only four behind new pacesetters Tim Clark and Zach Johnson.

South African Clark, runner-up to Phil Mickelson last year, and American Ryder Cupper Johnson still had four and eight holes to play respectively, while overnight leaders Justin Rose and Brett Wetterich were joint third at two under.

Rose was the last player to tee off in the second round and after a bogey five on the first parred the next four, while Wetterich's debut in the event continued with a 73.

Tiger Woods, like Howell, had a real rollercoaster ride, but from five over with four to go he birdied the 15th and 17th for a 74 that kept him in the hunt at three over.

Playing partner Casey's 68 was an 11-stroke improvement on his error-strewn opening day effort and it brought him back alongside the world number one, who still has a chance to make it five green jackets, a third major in a row and his 13th in all.

Harrington said: "I thought the course was an excellent test and set up very well. It was a good mental test — when to go for pins and when to play safe. You've got to give it your full attention. Yesterday I messed up a lot of simple shots."

That included pitching into the lake on the 15th for a triple bogey eight. On his return to the hole he birdied and then put the icing on the cake with another at the last.

Woods, who ended his opening 73 with back-to-back bogeys, had four more in a front nine 39.

He then found Rae's Creek both on the 12th and 13th, but got out of the two holes dropping only one shot, a 22-footer for a bogey being followed by a pitch-and-putt par.

Casey sank a 40-foot eagle putt on the long second, just after Luke Donald (also three over after a 74) had pitched in from 40 yards for another three. He then nearly aced the short 12th.

As for defending champion Phil Mickelson, he bogeyed the first, fifth and sixth to slump to seven over. But partner Richie Ramsay, the Scot who last August became the first British player to win the US Amateur since 1911, parred the first six to remain four over.

That kept him on course to become the first British amateur to make the halfway cut since Peter McEvoy in 1978.

Darren Clarke, meanwhile, recovered a modicum of pride with a second round of 71 but the damage was well and truly done during yesterday's disastrous 83 and at 10-over, the Tyrone man's tournament is over.